Goldberg warns Bullets off Nurse

Jay Goldberg, the general manager of the Manchester Giants, rose to the bait yesterday when he threatened Birmingham Bullets with an "illegal approach" charge if they attempted to pursue the club's coach, Nick Nurse, before the clubs meet in the Dairylea Dunkers Championship final at Wembley on Saturday.

The pre-game hype is small beer to American Goldberg, who was the Houston Rockets' front office manager during their NBA championship double in the mid-Nineties, but he took the issue seriously enough to warn off the Bullets' millionaire owner, Craig Bown.

Goldberg said: "Nick has a contract to coach the Manchester Giants. We categorically refuse Birmingham's request to talk to Nick while he remains the Giants' coach.

"If we get even the slightest suggestion that Birmingham have crossed the line and ignored our response, we'll have no hesitation in contacting the League and alleging that an illegal approach has been made."

Bown has already crossed the line in publicising his desire to tempt Nurse back to the club he coached when they won the championship in 1996. He was replaced by Mike Finger, who ends a three-year stint at the Bullets on Saturday hoping to repeat his championship triumph of 1998.

Bown's parallel attempt to lure Giants' former Bullet Tony Dorsey, this season's player of the year, drew an equally brusque reply.

Goldberg said: "The situation with Dorsey is exactly the same. He has a contract with the Giants until the end of the season and we expect Birmingham and every other club in the BBL to respect that.

"We're yet to be convinced Birmingham are serious about signing Nick and Tony. This is just a deliberate and cynical attempt by Birmingham to gain any advantage they can ahead of Saturday's final."

However, Nurse said: "I am flattered by Birmingham's comments and will weigh up my options after the final. I will look at all options in and out of England."

* The Orlando Magic centre John Amaechi, 29, a nominee for the NBA's Most Improved Player Award in the United States, has been named England's Men's Basketball Player of the Year by the English Basketball Association. Claire Wiseman, 23, of Spelthorne Acers, has won the women's award.